A nurse practitioner (NP) is a nurse with advanced clinical education and training, who shares many duties with doctors. NPs can perform physical exams, diagnose and treat diseases, prescribe medication, manage patients' overall care, counsel, educate patients on disease prevention, and make positive health and lifestyle choices
. They often specialize in a particular patient population or health area, such as adults, children, mental health, women's health, or acute care
. NPs hold more responsibility than registered nurses, conduct research, mentor staff, and can work in various settings, including clinics, hospitals, and emergency rooms
. Their scope of practice varies by state
. NPs must complete a master's or doctoral degree program, have advanced clinical training, and undergo rigorous national certification and periodic peer review
